Yes. Yes I Am Proud.

And so, after the last slightly dubious post about Pride (read it here), I took myself along. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, what with the downgrading of the whole affair at very short notice due to a lack of funds/lack of support from The Mayor (whoever you choose to believe...). But I went, armed with wonderfully strong cans of gin and tonic, my gayest of t-shirts and a few choice friends, and prepared myself to be angry, frustrated, bored, terrified, excited, proud.

Well. How wrong I was last week. I love Pride. I spent six hours watching and cheering on endless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people (and even a whole host of straight people and kids) walking the streets, dancing, snogging, holding hands, marching, chanting and, above all, loving. On one corner I saw old lesbian couples holding hands, basking in each others company; on the other newly out boys who'd managed to persuade incredibly wonderful and tolerant mothers along with them. I chatted to kids, no older than fourteen, from an LGBT youth group. I made friends with two girls from Slovakia who were 'just friends', who stared longingly at each other more and more as the drink flowed. This was a day where labels meant nothing and the entire rainbow of society (not just LGBT society, but almost the whole of society) came out in order to celebrate difference and that most wonderful, heartbreaking and human of emotions; Love. 

Because, lets face it; no matter how much society wants to only talk about the sexual practices of being gay, there's far more too it than that. Yesterday showed me that being LGBT is about love and tolerance, communities coming together as one to celebrate the opportunity to love who we want to without fear of being persecuted, laughed at or harassed. I've often found this unity lacking, with the bitchy queens of Soho judging anyone that doesn't fit their stereotype. But this, this was so different, so wonderful. Here we were, thousands of people stood in Trafalgar Square, getting soaked, pissed and excitable, listening to terrible musical performances; all because we were united in a common cause to love who we wanted, and to give everyone around the world the opportunity to do the same.

And so I perched there. Sat on the edge of one of the fountains, staring up at a big screen, beer in hand and with far too many stickers on my t-shirt I looked across the area and saw the multitudes of people and I felt it. Pride. Absolute, total Pride in myself, in this community, in these people. Its something I've never truly and strongly felt before; but here it was - taking over my body, my heart and my head. And, as Simon Hughes came on stage to tell us how the Liberal Democrats work tirelessly for our rights to fair and equal marriage, a few tears came to my eyes. Not because I fear the Lib Dems will let us down (they won't, I'm sure of it) but because, for one of the few times in my life, I felt like I had been found, accepted and fully tolerated. That little voice that always had its doubts was finally silenced.

Here I am. A proud, young, happy gay man. Thank you World Pride 2012. You may have been smaller than you wanted, but for me, you were the biggest and best you could be.